Lessons of the Lighthouse

By Kellene, Preparedness Pro on 25 October 2012 - 1:17am

I lived in Maine for several years. My mother and I both loved lighthouses with Mom taking her fondness for them to great lengths, collecting just about anything and everything that represented her love of lighthouses. (In fact, my husband chose to spend our wedding night up in northern Ohio at Lakeside and enjoyed just sitting and watching the beautiful sunsets by the lighthouse that's up there.)

When Mom passed away I inherited her boxes and boxes of lighthouse knick-knacks, furniture, and collectibles; thanks to my fondness of them, I had a perfect room in my house in which to display them as I had decorated my entire front room of the house in a New England nautical motif--complete with a wall hand-painted to represent the calming motion and colors of the ocean and a thick wallpaper boarder just above the chair rail trimming featuring Thomas Kincaid's famous lighthouse paintings. The room is also touched off with a shipboards book cabinet and blue and white furniture with white clapboard trimming resembling the sides of the ship. Finishing the look is an old weathered lobster trap that Mom had made into a coffee table that we kids abused over the years as we played games on it and ate on it as we watched TV when Mom wasn't home. One of the walls in the room is finished off with the wedding gift my husband gave to me, a large reproduction of a painting, the Portland Headlight from Portland, Maine. The carpeting in the room is a perfect sea foam color. Perhaps all of this description can give you an idea why I like to go to this room when I need to clear my mind a little bit, or de-stress, or meet with invited guests. We read our scriptures daily in this room and oft times use it for a private moment of prayer.

Why? Well, lighthouses have a very special meaning to me as I've never seen a picture of a lighthouse that wasn't surrounded by crashing waves; it's purpose is not fully realized until it shines amidst the dark of night, or perhaps amidst a ferocious storm. And yet it continually stands strong amidst the dark, thrashing night, completely unyielding to the harsh elements. Notice also how lighthouses never stand in clusters or in rows along the seashore. They are always standing strong yet alone in their efforts to convey a safe path in the most difficult parts of the shore. Even the way a lighthouse is designed, small, simple and unaccommodating of crowds of people. Lighthouses were never meant to be a place of popularity and nonsense. It's very narrow in its purpose, almost as if to ensure that it will never be distracted or confused as to what its purpose is.

I hope that those of you who feel like you're on the path of preparedness all by yourself can always see a lighthouse when you need it and can prepare in such a way that you yourself can always stand as a lighthouse for others.

Comments

You give a very descriptive view of your lighthouse. Our church’s motto is that we are a lighthouse in the community and your description makes me understand better the reason for that motto. Thank you.

Our church as well was spoken many times it was a lighthouse for 20 years. Also that we (& our community) would shine its light all around the world. That happened in Manchester, KY. However 5 yrs. ago the Lord prompted us to visit many lighthouses in the New England area. We learned about the Lighthouse Keepers hard job & how they had to ring the bell when it was so foggy the ships could not see the light. I felt the Lord speak & say it is time to sound the warning because the church is in such a fog they can’t see His light or ours. I believe emergency preparedness is part of the warning. Most people do not want to hear this message & refuse to get ready (or like the 5 virgins who did not put oil in their lamps). When He speaks, we must obey. When I get discouraged, I keep thinking of Noah as he obeyed the Lord. The Lighthouses really open my eyes spiritually. I enjoyed your article

Like your Mom, I’ve been collecting lighthouses since I was a small child. The Point Bolivar light was visible from our beach house in Caplen, Texas.

In reading many stories about lighthouse keepers, preparedness was always a top priority. We don’t have a lighthouse on our ranch property but have the plans ready to build should there be time enough left to do so.

Thank u for these words. I am alone in my family and in my own home in this. My partner sometimes makes fun of me and says I’m being silly and wasting money but I know that slowly but surely he will come around and understand this concept. I am now prepping because I have become aware of the need to be prepared. My reason for it is because I live in the Caribbean where 6 months out of the year we are under the threat of hurricanes, severe storms and flooding. But awakening to the reality of our world I realize that this is merely a great way of having food/safety/water insurance!

Kel,
You described it well and your analogy is well thought out. As we are preparing we can be that beacon that helps others find their way even if we aren’t fully prepared ourselves. For some, learning from another who is also on the learning path is easier than trying to stand in the shadow of an expert. We can point them to folks like you who have much experience and willingness to share. Thanks for being one of those people!

Wow Kellene, I am standing right there beside you. I have been living in Maine for 17 years but am quite a distance from the coast. I live about 100 miles north of Bangor in a small town that is perfect for preparing. I do feel like I stand alone here in my prepping as no one around me that I associate with is doing the same. It so fills me up when I read your stories. Yes, then I know I am not alone. You are with me. Thank you for being there.

Nancy– We also live 100 miles north of bangor but close to the coast. We also do not know/associate with any one that preps…So in reading your comment I wanted to let you know there are people around that think the same way=) In fact in many ways we are just getting started and it’s at times very overwhelming, but at the end of the task, VERY rewarding. Especially if it will help our family. Keep it up, you're not alone.

Beautiful. I love that you are sentimental towards the pieces your mother so lovingly collected. It warms my heart. You are so blessed to have lived in Maine! I didn’t know much about Maine until my son served a mission for the Canada Halifax mission. Maine is part of that mission area. We too now have a special place in our hearts for lighthouses. In fact, I have them all over my house now. I had bought several inexpensive ones for Table center pieces for his mission return dinner. I am looking at one of them right now, that sits a top of my computer desk. ; )

Thank you for writing such a beautiful article! I love the water and lighthouses too but I had never thought about it in the way you stated it. I do feel alone in preparing and I love your sentiment about being a beacon for others. If I can help one other person, then the teasing I have taken over going this path is worth it! Thank you for being there and encouraging and supporting the rest of us.

Wow, talk about taking me back in time. I lived with my grandmother who loved the sea and the lighthouse in Ocean View, WA. She painted the lighthouse and I have it today, and it reminds me of her. I never in my wildest memories would have looked at being prepared to a lighthouse who stands alone yet protective of everything and one around it. It explains why my husband and I share such a great common loving bond. We are both lighthouses in a spirital sense, trying to provide and protect those family member who can not envision a world of unstability.
Loved the article, thank you for reminding me of the wonderful time I had my grandmother, it was short lived but truly special for a 6 year old.

Needed that tonight! Thank you! I love lighthouses, too, and have a small, but precious to me, collection. My lighthouses are usually people, and I’m glad to count you as one of them! My marathon apple fest is finally over… I have 78 pints of applesauce, three gallons of dried apples, 16 pints of apple maple jam, 7 quarts apple juice, 4 loaves of apple cinnamon swirly bread heaven, 3 apples pies, and 2 apple crisps… now I feel like I should have a partridge in a pear tree, just for good measure! I even had three big boxes to give away! I am feeling grateful for small (some of them downright tiny, but still juicy and tasty!) blessings tonight!

Ball Blue Book has the recipe, Carrie (not sure if it should legally be printed, copyright stuff and all…if someone gives me insight into that piece that makes it fine, I’ll be happy to throw it on here!)…it doesn’t seem to have set like a regular jam, but if nothing else, it will make delicious syrup for pancakes, ice cream, etc…. throw a few walnuts on and I’m a happy camper!

I have the Blue Book so I will look it up. Thank you! I don’t know if it calls for pectin but I’ve gotten to the point that I put extra pectin in all my jams. If a jam turns out thin I just tell everyone to think of it as syrup for pancakes! It still has that good fresh fruit taste.